Thursday, September 15, 2005

Astrology and Shiv Bhakts

Astrology is the study of the effects of planets in our lives and the way they mould and/or influence our lives.


Kalidas in his classic Astrology book Uttara Kalamrita has mentioned some significance of some planets relating to the worship of Shiva.


Significance of Sun.
a) Soul
b) Power or Strength
c) Worship of Shiva
d) Trees having thorns
e) Favor of the king or the Ruler
f) Father
g) Awakening of knowledge or enlightenment
h) Bones
I) Eye
j) Bile
k) Feverish or inflammatory complaints
l) Body
m) Timber
n) Ornaments
o) Rulership over eastern direction
p) Copper
q) Ruby
r) East
s) Face


Significance of Jupiter.
a) Brahmans
b) Teachers
c) Cows
d) treasure
e) Large or stout body
f) Fame
g) Logic
h) Astronomy and astrology
I) Sons
j) Grand Sons
k) Elder brother
l) Indra
m) Precious stones
n) Dharma
o) Yellow colors
p) Physical health
q) Impartial outlook
r) Facing towards the north.
s) Mantra
t) Holy water or places of pilgrimage
u) Intellect
v) Lord Brahma
w) gold and good quality topaz
x) Worship of Shiva
y) Sound knowledge of classical text
z) Vedanta

Significance of Ketu
a) Worship of Chandi, Ganesh and others
b) Medical practitioner
c) Vultures
d) Final emancipation
e) Consumption
f) Painful fevers
g) Bath in Ganges
h) Great penance
I) Wind complaints
j) Mantra Shastra
k) Instability of mind
l) Diseases of the stomach and eye
m) Vedanta
n) Grandfather
o) Small pox or boils
p) A servant of Shiva
q) Association with foreigner or Shudras.

It is also said that the 7th. and the 8th. House of the horoscope are Shiva sthanas.
The picture below is me at the Bahai Temple of Universal Worship in Illinois, USA.

There are a number of tales about Shiva and Astrology
Shiva is said to have passed the divine knowledge of jyotish (astrology) to mankind.
Here are some tales of Shiva and astrology.

Nadi Astrology:
Nadi Astrology is written by enlightened masters called the Siddhas. These Siddhas may have known one in a past lifetime. At that time they agreed to help many people during a crisis in a future lifetime. For some people, that future time is actually "now".
These Siddhas are an esoteric group of enlightened saints from the distant past. The stories of many of them are not yet well-known in the West. They founded Nadi astrology.
Lord Shiva, pleased with their devotion, bestowed upon them some exclusive powers. He gave them the incredible clairvoyance to know the past, present and future. The Siddhas have etched their priceless knowledge on ancient palm leaves called Nadis. If they were associated with one in one's 'Poorva Janma' (previous birth), they promised to help them in a future life, i.e. now. By the Nadi law, one will be involuntarily attracted to the leaves by destiny only. Not everyone has a leaf.
The Nadi leaves are inscribed in Sanskrit, the language used in all ancient Indian arts and sciences. The Maharajah Serfoji II of Tanjore, a true patron of art and sciences, stored these palm leaves in his palace library. He had them translated into Tamil. The British acquired possession of these leaves during their rule and later sold them to some families, which still own them. They have been carefully preserved, awaiting their moment of rendezvous with the intended recipients.
In this lifetime, Siva Baba has unearthed a combination of Nadis renowned for being genuine, accurate and reliable after twenty years of painstaking research. He has people start the search for their leaf with Shiva Nadi, the supreme Nadi which is a dialogue between Lord Shiva and his consort Parvathi, both considered true adepts of enlightened yogic arts. MahaShiva Sukshma Nadi, the greatest Shiva Nadi, contains minute details about every aspect of human life. Whereas other Nadis usually give predictions for every five years or so, this Nadi will give predictions on a yearly basis or even every six months.


Yogini Dasha:
Once upon a time, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were strolling in the forests of the Himalayas. Puzzled by the applicability of various dashas in astrology, Goddess Parvati asked Lord Shiva, “There are innumerable dasha systems in astrology, but in the Kaliyuga, which dasha would tell us in a flash the results of a person’s Karma?”Lord Shiva said, “It is the Yogini dasha.” And thus Lord Shiva revealed this dasha to Goddess Parvati. In the Kaliyuga, after careful examination of this dasha on a chart, the results do not go wrong. By knowing the mere name of the Yogini operating for a person, the things happening in the life of that person during the period of Yogini can be known.
However, I personally believe that bhakti (devotion) is above all logic, even the norms of astrology penned by our sages over ages. Shiva is above and beyond the rules applied/formulated by us with our limited intellect. Knowingly or Unknowingly every living entity is worshipping Him, Shiva, the Ultimate Truth.

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